Four Bruins earned all-league honors as the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) announced its men's volleyball awards, as selected by the league coaches, on Thursday afternoon. Senior setter Micah Ma'a and junior middle blocker Daenan Gyimah were chosen to the first team. Cole Pender and Adam Parks were named to the MPSF All-Freshman squad.
Ma'a, who was also a first-team All-MPSF choice in 2016 and 2018, leads the MPSF and is second in the NCAA in service ace average (0.61) this season. Earlier this year, he became the first Bruin to surpass the 200 service ace mark for a career and his total of 60 aces in 2019 is a rally-scoring school single-season record and just three shy of matching the overall school mark. He ranks sixth in the MPSF in set assists average, while the Bruin team rates second in the league with a .326 hitting percentage. Ma'a also owns the only triple-double in men's volleyball this season with a 15-kill, 44-set assist, 15-dig effort against BYU. Gyimah, who was also a first-team selection last season, is second in the MPSF (fourth in the nation) with a .455 hitting percentage. The junior has totaled 17 matches in 2019 with at least a .400 hitting percentage and set a school record when he hit .917 in a match earlier this season.
Pender holds down the libero position for the Bruins and has handled 189 of his last 195 serve receptions without error (.970). He recorded a season-high of 12 digs in a win over Pepperdine earlier this season. Setter Adam Parks ranks ninth in the MPSF in set assist average and has seen the team hit .315 in his last four matches. He registered a season-high of 12 digs in a win against Grand Canyon.
No. 2 seed UCLA begins play in the MPSF Tournament this Saturday at 7 p.m. in an MPSF quarterfinal match in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom against No. 7 seed Concordia. The winner of that contest will advance to the MPSF semifinals to be held on Apr. 18 at top-seeded Pepperdine (times to be announced). The championship match is set for Apr. 20 (time to be announced) and will also be played in Malibu. The winner of the MPSF Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship Tournament. The pairings and at-large teams for the seven-team NCAA field will be announced on April 21.
Ma'a, who was also a first-team All-MPSF choice in 2016 and 2018, leads the MPSF and is second in the NCAA in service ace average (0.61) this season. Earlier this year, he became the first Bruin to surpass the 200 service ace mark for a career and his total of 60 aces in 2019 is a rally-scoring school single-season record and just three shy of matching the overall school mark. He ranks sixth in the MPSF in set assists average, while the Bruin team rates second in the league with a .326 hitting percentage. Ma'a also owns the only triple-double in men's volleyball this season with a 15-kill, 44-set assist, 15-dig effort against BYU. Gyimah, who was also a first-team selection last season, is second in the MPSF (fourth in the nation) with a .455 hitting percentage. The junior has totaled 17 matches in 2019 with at least a .400 hitting percentage and set a school record when he hit .917 in a match earlier this season.
Pender holds down the libero position for the Bruins and has handled 189 of his last 195 serve receptions without error (.970). He recorded a season-high of 12 digs in a win over Pepperdine earlier this season. Setter Adam Parks ranks ninth in the MPSF in set assist average and has seen the team hit .315 in his last four matches. He registered a season-high of 12 digs in a win against Grand Canyon.
No. 2 seed UCLA begins play in the MPSF Tournament this Saturday at 7 p.m. in an MPSF quarterfinal match in Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom against No. 7 seed Concordia. The winner of that contest will advance to the MPSF semifinals to be held on Apr. 18 at top-seeded Pepperdine (times to be announced). The championship match is set for Apr. 20 (time to be announced) and will also be played in Malibu. The winner of the MPSF Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship Tournament. The pairings and at-large teams for the seven-team NCAA field will be announced on April 21.